AI Generated Summary
- With Amritsar itself providing a backdrop steeped in history, the inaugural edition aims to make military literature and strategic discourse accessible beyond specialist circles while encouraging a new generation to engage with India’s security challenges, battlefield history and the legacy of its armed forces.
- Lt Gen (Dr) J S Cheema, PVSM, AVSM, VSM, said the festival, being organised by the Military Literature Festival Association, seeks to create greater awareness about national security, the history of warfare and the contribution of India’s armed forces, particularly among younger audiences.
- Contemporary strategic concerns will be addressed in “West Asia in Turmoil and Stakes for India,” which will examine developments in the region from the perspective of India’s security and wider national interests.
Amritsar’s long association with India’s military and strategic history will come into focus as the city hosts the inaugural Military Literature Festival Amritsar-2026 at Khalsa University on August 31 and September 1.
Bringing together military veterans, historians, scholars, students and followers of military affairs, the two-day festival will explore subjects ranging from contemporary geopolitical challenges to landmark episodes in India’s military history. Discussions on the 1965 Indo-Pak War, developments in West Asia and the legacy of the Jallianwala Bagh massacre are expected to be among the major attractions.
Lt Gen (Dr) J S Cheema, PVSM, AVSM, VSM, said the festival, being organised by the Military Literature Festival Association, seeks to create greater awareness about national security, the history of warfare and the contribution of India’s armed forces, particularly among younger audiences.
A weapons exhibition will also form part of the programme, offering visitors another window into the military world beyond the panel discussions and historical deliberations.
The choice of Amritsar as the venue gives the festival a distinctive historical context. Located close to the international border, the city and its surrounding region have witnessed events that have profoundly shaped both India’s political history and its military experience. Organisers said this connection would be reflected prominently during the festival.
One of the key sessions, “1965 Indo-Pak War – Operations in Amritsar Sector,” will revisit the military operations conducted in and around the Amritsar sector during the conflict. Veterans and experts are expected to examine the operational as well as historical dimensions of the war and its significance for the region.
Contemporary strategic concerns will be addressed in “West Asia in Turmoil and Stakes for India,” which will examine developments in the region from the perspective of India’s security and wider national interests.
The festival will also look beyond conventional military history. A session titled “Jallianwala Massacre – Bitter Legacy: Crimson Spring” will revisit one of the defining episodes of colonial-era Punjab and its enduring place in India’s historical consciousness.
Lieutenant General T S Shergill, PVSM, PhD (Retd), will be among the prominent participants at the festival.
Lt Gen Cheema said such platforms could help bridge the gap between military institutions and civilian society by allowing young people to engage directly with veterans and scholars and understand the historical circumstances in which major strategic and military decisions were taken.
He urged students and young people, as well as those interested in history, defence and strategic affairs, to participate in the two-day event.
With Amritsar itself providing a backdrop steeped in history, the inaugural edition aims to make military literature and strategic discourse accessible beyond specialist circles while encouraging a new generation to engage with India’s security challenges, battlefield history and the legacy of its armed forces.
